Territory



PATENTED SEPT. 20, 1904.

U. G. HOUSTON. ASTRONOMIGAL APPARATUS 0R. PLANETARIUM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

WINTER JUN ll THE smsbrvs PATENTED SEPT. 20, 1904.

U. G, HOUSTON. ASTRONGMIOAL APPARATUS 0R PLANETARIUM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

[7 are n60?" Patented September 20, 1904.

UNITED STATEs PATENT FFICE.

ULYSSES GRANT HOUSTON, OF PARVIN, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

ASTRONOIVIICAL APPARATUS OR PLANETARIUIVI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,370, dated September 20, 1904.

Application filed June 27, 1903. Serial No. 163,406. (No model.)

To [oil whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ULYSSES GRANT Hous- TON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Parvin, county of Kingfisher, Oklahoma Territory, have invented new and useful Improvements in Astronomical Apparatus or Planetariums, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, two sheets illustrating the invention, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the actuating-arm and coacting parts, as hereinafter explained.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an astronomical apparatus or planetarium which will enable the teacher to mechanically demonstrate to the pupil that the earths seasons or those of other planets are dependent not only upon the obliquity of the earths axis to the plane of its orbit at a fixed angle in its orbital movement about the sun or other central luminary, but also upon the constant parallelism of the earths axis to itself in the various positions during its orbital movement and upon the maintenance by the force of gravity of said axis in a true line pointing toward the north star throughout the entire revolution of the planet about the central luminary.

The mechanism employed is as follows:

A represents a casing having a hollow interior and a central enlarged opening, such casing being here shown formed in truncated oval form similar to the case of the common mantel-clock and adapted to be supported or suspended in vertical position normally.-

B represents the operating mechanism as a whole mounted in and upon said casing.

C represents the gravity-weight, actuatingarm, and locking-slide as a whole detached.

indicates near the top of the face of the casing the north star, toward which the axis of the earth always points in space, which is here symbolized by the inclination of the axis tof the planet toward that point or upper part of the casing, as a, Where the north star is diagrammatically represented.

b is the pointer end of the horizontal actuating-arm /L and indicates the months cl and signs of the zodiac 0, all of which are grouped concentrically around the enlarged opening in the casing and toward which the index points as the arm is swung round to operate the device.

represents the earth or other planet, supported upon an inclined axis 6, rotating in and swiveled through the auxiliary regulatingwhich representation of the satellite is sup-' ported upon a vertical axis j, fastened to the interiorly-toothed horizontal gear Z0 and here shown as bent toward its lower end and socketed into the side of .the said gear.

71 is the actuating-arm, journaled upon the axis 0 and resting on the pillar p.

i is the auxiliary regulating-weight, mounted eccentrically upon the vertical journal-rod 1/ and here shown as fastened rigidly thereto by means of a thumb-screw taking through the weight and against the said rod, which rod carries at its lower end the gravity-weight a, secured eccentrically thereto.

is is the interiorly-toothed horizontal gear here shown as cup-shaped with teeth upon its interior perimeter and fastened by a thumbscrew or otherwise to the sleeve-axis w and resting upon the actuating-arm, said gear meshing with a pinion 1', attached rigidly to the inclined axis t.

Z is the horizontal locking-slide having an elongated slot 1) therein, through which last takes the axis 0, said slide having at its inner end a projection 10, adapted to fit into either of the recesses s upon the disk m, and thereby lock the mechanism against gravity control, and said slide having preferably upturned longitudinal edges fitting against the sides of the actuating-arm, beneath which last said slide is constructed and arranged to move.

Z indicates a thumb-piece for operating the slide. Such thumb-piece, which forms no essential part of my invention, may be employed for convenience in operating the locking-slide and may be constructed in the usual conventional form, as shown.

The disk m is rigidly secured upon the gravity-weight n and to journal-rod y.

g is a perforated ribbon or band secured and fitting tightly in the enlarged opening of the casing, said perforations adapted to coact with the pins or teeth upon gear w, which last is formed upon the sleeve-axis w, and so through the gear is and the pinion r to produce the rotation of the planet and the revolution of the satellite.

z is the aperture in the farther end of the actuating-arm it, through which passes the sleeve-axis m with the vertical journal-rod y.

It will be observed that when the apparatus is positioned upright or vertically and the locking-slide not applied the gravity-weight, assisted by the auxiliary regulating-weight, maintains the axis of the planet turned always toward the north star in space, here symbolized by the inclination of the axis t of the planet toward that point or upper part of the casing, as a, where the north star is diagrammatically represented, and so as the actuating-arm is swung around, carrying the planet in its annual revolution, now receding from and now approaching the central luminary, demonstrating mechanically the natural change in the seasons, the inclination of the planets axis to the plane of its orbit contributing to produce the said efiect. When the locking-slide is pushed forward, causing the projection u to enter the recesses s in the disk m, and so to lock the gravity-weight in either of two positions, as shown, it will be seen that though the inclination of the planets axis remains the same the natural change of seasons does not follow; but according as the gravity-weight is locked a full year of summer or winter is given to either hemisphere, as desired. When the device is positioned horizontally and the locking-slide not applied, the operation of the apparatus will illustrate catastrophic and abrupt alterations in climate.

Diagrammed upon the face of the casing are illustrated the orbital movement of the planet and the consequent change of seasons d, the phases of the moon as aflecting the tides f, and the parallels and meridians of the planet 6. These last features form no necessary part of my invention, but are valuable educational ancillaries to the device.

Reserving to myself the benefit of the full range of mechanical equivalents in the detail construction and arrangement of parts and having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device of the character described and in combination, means for representing a central luminary,means for representing a planet, actuating mechanism connecting the two, and gravity means attached to the planet means, whereby as the actuating mechanism is operated the force of gravity maintains the axis of the planet always inclined toward a fixed point upon the casing wherein the device is mounted, such point diagrammatically representing the north star as the orbitalinovement is described.

2. In a device of the character described and in combination, means for representing a central luminary,means for representing a planet, actuating mechanism connecting the two, gravity means attached to the planet means, and locking means attached to the actuating mechanism and adapted to coact with the gravity means, whereby as the actuating mechanism is operated the force of gravity acts, or is locked against acting as desired, to maintain the axis of the planet always turned toward a fixed outside point such as the north star as the orbital movement .is described, or to hold said axis turned toward or away from the central luminary, according as the locking means he applied or not applied.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 27th day of June, 1903.

ULYSSES GRANT HOUSTON.

Witnesses:

W. B. AoKER, W. S. AYRns, J r. 

